Pewter Tooth Fairy Kit

My son is now five and may be losing his first tooth this year. I must admit that it gives me the heebie-geebies just thinking about it, so I'm immersing myself in Tooth Fairy research...which is strange considering we've never done Santa or the Easter Bunny. My children know none of these fictional characters are real so I guess I'm going more for the surprise element than a magical experience...or I'm just enjoying the distraction from the realization that part of my firstborn may be falling out this year. So expect to see a handful of Tooth Fairy products in the coming months as I find exciting products and traditions.

I found this Pewter Tooth Fairy Kit from Crosby & Taylor a couple of weeks ago and loved the keepsake qualities it has. The main component of this kit is a pewter box with an individual cubby for each baby tooth. There is also a satin pouch for the current lost tooth with a ribbon and a pewter coin attached to guide the Tooth Fairy to the tooth under the pillow...a nice touch considering said Fairy works late night hours in the dark.

For the children, there is a satin storage pouch which holds a coin for them to place on their parent's pillow at night. The coin reads, "Remember to ask what the Tooth Fairy brought!" And when all of these special tooth-related activities are complete, you can record the date for each tooth loss as well as what the Fairy left in exchange in the provided chart.

I think this kit would make losing a tooth exciting and memorable...for years to come! It's available at crosbyandtaylor.com for $65.25.

Belli Giveaway Winners

Please join me in congratulating the following winners of the Belli Giveaway:

Foot Relief Cream - Alexandra from Wisconsin
Nourish Me Enriched Body Lotion - Ann from Minnesota
Sample packets - Kelly from Maine

Ladies, enjoy your new skincare!

Giggle's Better Basics

I love soft, organic and simple baby clothes for my children! And Giggle has some of my favorite basics...Better Basics!

The color combination used in Giggle's Better Basics collection are wonderful: pink and red, blue and orange, orange and pink, and navy and blue...some of my all time favorites!

All pieces are organic, stylish and so comfy for your new little one! No wonder the collection is loved by celebrities like Alyson Hannigan from How I Met Your Mother (one of the few sitcoms I watch)!

View the entire organic and affordable collection at giggle.com.

Spinach and Cheddar Muffins

My son and I just made some delicious muffins...we're both eating one as I type this up (the muffins shown here are fresh out of the pan and still cooling). August suggested I "share the recipe with Ugga Mugga for other kids." So here it is:

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups white flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (original recipe called for onion powder so use that if you're a fan)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 4 oz chopped fresh spinach (original recipe called for bacon, well cooked and crumbled, but we don't eat meat...if you do, my husband says bacon muffins sound good)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (we didn't have any so I put a bit of vinegar in skim milk)
  
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (but still liquid)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a mini or regular size muffin tin. Make sure it is well greased because the cheese in these muffins can really make them stick! I used liners and should have sprayed them...they're sticking quite a bit.
   
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt.
3. Add cheese and chopped spinach to the flour mixture and toss to coat. This makes the cheese and spinach remain throughout the muffin instead of sinking to the bottom...I learned that watching Giada De Laurentis, I love her!
   
4. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Then add to the flour mixture. Stir gently until just combined. (Don’t stir too much or you’ll wind up with chewy muffins!)
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan. Bake about 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven and muffin size.
   
6. Remove from oven. Let cook in pan for 5 minutes. Then turn onto a rack to finish cooling.
   

They're a really healthy and yummy breakfast or snack! And if your child isn't keen on spinach, perhaps these muffins will get them interested! Enjoy!

Potting Shed Creations

My children love to garden! They have an active hand in starting our seeds each Spring, tending to the gardens in the Summer, and they certainly enjoy the benefits of their hard work as they eat fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs throughout the year!

In addition to our family gardens, they enjoy having plants of their own to care for...and I think it's a wonderful lesson for them as well, caring for something other than themselves. If you're looking to get your children interested in gardening, or if you're looking for a special thank you gift, house warming present, or birthday surprise for an upcoming party, look no further than Potting Shed Creations!

Organic vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs and trees are all available from Potting Shed Creations in a wide variety of great packaging. There are environmentally friendly pots such as the rice hull pot shown in the basil photograph above, bags, pails and little tins full of seeds.

I believe caring for living plants teaches children responsibility, compassion, and that hard work pays off. And starting plants in these great containers in your home or outdoors this spring and summer will be beneficial for many years to come. If only to encourage your child to eat a meal made using herbs snipped off a plant started in your kitchen!

See all of the plant and container options at pottingshedcreations.com.

Boden Coupon Code

I received a new Boden coupon code I wanted to share with all of you Boden and Mini Boden fans. The deal is that you purchase 2 items and get the 3rd item for only $1...plus free returns. This is the best deal I've yet to see from Boden!

To take advantage of this coupon, click here to visit bodenusa.com and then enter coupon code BA36229G in the Quick Service Number box. Happy Shopping!

Belli Giveaway

Don't forget to enter the Belli Skincare GiveAway by the end of Wednesday, May 6. Entry details are here.

Free Shipping on Crewcuts

I've been a J.Crew lover for as long as I can remember. I remember the summer, 15 years ago, when I convinced my parents to make the five hour drive from Milwaukee down to Indianapolis so that I could stand foot in an actual J.Crew store...my parents sure must love me!

Never in a million years did I dream of one day being able to dress my own children in their amazing apparel. As you can imagine, I've made my fair share of orders online and was more than pleased when Crewcuts moved a small selection of their clothing into a J.Crew store near me...well, kind of near me...most certainly closer than Indianapolis!

For those of you not so lucky, I wanted to let you know that Crewcuts is offering Free Shipping on all orders placed online through May 31, 2009...no J.Crew coupon code necessary. Now is your chance to give their clothes, shoes and accessories a try.

Visit crewcutkids.com to take advantage of this offer!

Sakura Bloom

I had never tried a ring sling before Sakura Bloom...and I'm now kicking myself realizing I could have had this comfort and fit with all three children. It's so wonderful to have a sling that fits both my husband and me where our baby is happy!

Sakura Bloom's slings are made of natural textiles...silk or linen (I have silk). My husband was home when I took our sling from it's package (a great reusable box) and it took some convincing for me to get him to believe it was silk. I think his idea of silk is like that of most people...shiny with cheesy prints on it. But Sakura Bloom's silks are thick, luscious, solid in color, and extremely stylish...for both men and women!

I use my Sakura Bloom sling daily with baby Hazel...we like the tummy to tummy and the hip carry (she's too big for the cradle carry now and I have yet to try the kangaroo...maybe I'll give it a shot today). Hazel is very comfortable in the sling and I'm able to get things done with both hands...for my other children (never for myself, but I take what I can get). It goes on in a snap, Hazel is comfortable, and it looks great!

I have the licorice/slate blue sling and both my husband and I absolutely love the bold blue against the midnight licorice color. Like the guy in the photo above, we wrap the end around the ring when wearing it...and sometimes leave a bit hanging off as Hazel loves chewing on it. Good thing it's machine washable!

If you haven't tried a ring sling, I highly recommend you do! And if style and quality is at all important to you, I suggest you start with Sakura Bloom! I looked around and couldn't find a ring sling that came close to comparing to the total package this sling provides! And with the versatile textiles of silk and linen, there is a sling for each person in each climate.

See all of their amazing colors and styles at sakurabloom.com. Linen slings start at $88.00 and silk starts at $180.00. I suggest taking a look at their questions and concept sections prior to purchasing...they're full of wonderful information that will help you determine which sling is right for you!

I Used To Be a Rice Bag

BC Footwear is the maker of these stylish and eco-friendly flip flops. Each pair of shoes is made from old rice and determent bags...the end result is one fashionable pair of shoes!

If flip flops aren't your thing, BC also makes credit card/mobile phone holders and sandals that wrap around your ankle from the same materials.

See the entire collection at bcfootwear.net and purchase these flip flops for $32.50 at store.delias.com (but hurry, they're already sold out on BC's site).

Swine Flu

We're parents, so we worry, it's just part of the job. But all of this swine flu news and hype is getting to be too much for me. I'm now receiving emails from friends that are forwards and full of worry, so I thought I'd put it in perspective for you, from the facts I've read.

It is estimated that each year in the United States the common flu affects an estimated 10 to 20% of the population...and an average of 114,000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications. Approximately 20,000 Americans die from the flu each year!

There are now a reported 143 cases of Swine Flu and one Swine Flu death in the United States. Although there have been 46 deaths due to the common flu in the same week...that was the last statistic I read on Thursday morning...it may be higher by now.

I'm not wanting to have you take your children's health any less seriously, I just want to put all of the hype into perspective and ease your worry. Just continue on as usual...wash your hands, wash your kid's hands, stay home when sick, don't visit others when they are sick, and you should be just fine. As our wise friends in the United Kingdom said, Keep Calm and Carry On.

The Brick Kiln

Yesterday I received an order I placed from The Brick Kiln on Etsy and today I'm shopping for additional items to have made for my loved ones...and myself. What I'm loving and wanting most of all is this Family Tree Dish...hint, hint for any family members or friends reading this!

In addition to this covetable dish, there are little birthday, wedding and anniversary dishes along with a cute little red pickup truck dish that would be perfect for gifting this Father's Day! I also just ordered a little ballet girl for my daughter Martha who is starting ballet this Summer.

If you're looking for a personalized, custom-made gift, visit The Brick Kiln's Etsy shop at thebrickkiln.etsy.com.